


Higureden 日暮伝 - Twilight Legend

by ChrysanthemumVow



Category: Original Work
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bakeneko, Blow Jobs, Demon Sex, Demon Summoning, Demons, Edo Period, Exorcisms, Fantasy, Fox Demon, Hand Jobs, Historical Fantasy, Japan, Kitsune, Lots of Sex, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Male Prostitution, Original Character(s), Power of Words, Priests, Revenge, Tokugawa Period, Youkai, demon cat - Freeform, onmyōji
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-06-15 16:47:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15417294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChrysanthemumVow/pseuds/ChrysanthemumVow
Summary: Yuuyami is a cat demon living in a high-class pleasure house raised by the prostitues of Edo's (old Tokyo) Yoshiwara district. He is clueless that in exchange for raising him up he must pay back with his body until a mysterious and handsome guest arrives claiming for his first night.Unwilling to accept his destiny he is bringing trouble on himself and finding himself turning into the plaything and slave of a man with high upbringing and caliber.Whilst more and more demons appear in the Shogun's capital with evil forces working behind the scene, a fox demon is searching for someone to take vengeance on.





	1. Parade of One Hundred Demons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aquarell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aquarell/gifts).



> Hi everyone!  
> This is one of my originals and I started to write it to my friend. It's about demons, exorcism, gay sex with a hint of love, revenge, and changing of heart.  
> There are and there will be quite some Japanese terms which I will be explaining in the foreword of each chapter if it's not explained in the text itself.  
> I hope you will like it ^^  
> I know that there are only a few people interested in original stories unfortunately, but believe me, I'm better writing originals than fanfictions.  
> So, let's dig in~
> 
> Higureden: Written with the characters of twilight 日暮 and legend 伝.  
> Cicada: A very noisy kind of insects can be found all around Japan and a symbol of the summer.  
> Yukata: Traditional clothes resembling a kimono made from light fabric to help endure the summer heat. It's like a kind of robe with a wide sash. Please check the net for pics.  
> Yōkai: Japanese demons or spirits of lore. There are some prominent types like tanuki or kitsune or bakeneko. It also can be an animated object came alive (tsukumogami). The term yōkai can be singular and plural too.  
> Bakeneko: Cat demon. It is a human-like figure with cat ears and tail, but they can also transform into a full cat form.  
> Geta: Japanese wooden clogs.  
> Gozu: An ox-headed demon of the Buddhist Hell.  
> Shimatta: Japanese swearing. Meaning 'dammit' or 'darn it' or something along the same meaning. It's lighter than 'chikushō' which can be translated as 'shit'.  
> Shinto: The ancient animistic religion of Japan.  
> Torii: Wooden (usually red or orange) or stone gates leading to a Shinto shrine.

**Edo, 1688 (1st year of Genroku)**

Leaves were quivering in the windless twilight as a crow was fluttering it’s wings flying from one branch to the other. As a premonition sinister croaking splitting into the dying song of cicadas. The streets of the outskirts became empty, only a few wandering figure clad in shady yukata were hastening their steps along the wooden houses to find themselves within their houses soon, behind the safety of their doors by the time the sun goes down below the horizon granting the night of it’s rule of darkness. This sunset was divergent than any other, had something fundamentally different in itself and all of the people in the neighbourhood knew it. A bodeful feeling was nestling itself into their heart as the cry of the cicadas was fading into the dusk and a silence as heavy as lead ruled over the scenery. An unfamiliar, straining stillness unbroken by the barking of dogs, yowling of cats and buzzing of insects. Humans understood these omens, they were feeling it in their bones, the fear was nestled itself in their heart and the consciousness in their mind.

The time of demons were drawing near, the time when calamity happens. When the sun sets and the last beams of light extinguishing, the passage to the Netherworld opens and evil spirits, yōkai and all of the demons of Buddhist Hell comes alive from the shadows. This is the time of the ōmagatoki, the moment when the lights leaving the world just before the darkness swallowing everything and the borders between the mortals and ghostly apparition, the meikai and ikai becoming thin and overlapping.

Mothers were calling out for their children with concern lacing their voices. The children were hurrying home fastening their steps. All of them but one little girl. Her mother wanted to search for her but as the rhytmic sound of drums and mysterious flute emerged, her husbund grabbed her arm shooking his head and with a resigned, solemn look on his face he pulled the mother inside the safety of their home. The doors and shutters were being closed one by one as the unwordly music was billowing in between the houses in league with dusk.

The dark, opaque mist stirred up by the procession marching on for the music was billowing like a black stream over the dirt road. It was not a procession of mortals, but one of strange and eerie, grotesque and unfamiliar beings on an unwordly parade. The sound of lute, singing, shouting, growling and cheering melted into the rhytmic melody of flute and drumming, uniting in a noisy cacophony. In the roaring procession once the face of a fox, once the face of a woman, once the face of a demon with horns protruding from it’s red head appeared. White-faced beautiful women danced in the air, from under their clothes no feet flashed out. A giant snake wriggled forward with tiny spirits sitting on it’s back. A geta, a parasol and a pillow engaged into a vivid conversation. In the wavering light of a demon lantern the chimimōryō, the spirits of mountain forests and streams were having a glass too many. This was the parade of one hundred demons, the Hyakki Yagyō of which was led by the leader of the spirits, Nurarihyon.

There was no mortal far and wide who would ever have dared to cast a glance onto this demonic pageant. As those who see it only once, they would be thrown into the spirit world too, where this parade is marching towards. Anyone who meets the Hyakki Yagyō once would be gripped by the horde of these spirits and demons.

The little girl left outside knew it all too well. She was too far away from home when her mother called out for her and only the darkness of the night chased her home. She was standing about in an alley with trembling legs as the demonic horde passed by in search of an unknown destination. She as much as tried to hide into the shadows where she didn’t know what kind of creatures could be laying in waiting for her as much as she was enchanted and lured by the unusual sight of the festival in which she would have never taken part before.

Suddenly she was bumped by something which being was dancing a drunken dance floundering on the sideline of the pageant. It was a child-sized, gray-skinned figure whom the girl could have mistaken for a human as long as it turned around to help her to her feet. From the face of the tiny figure a single big eye glanced down at the human girl and upon realisation that big eye widened further.

"A human! A human is here!" it screamed and the procession halted at once with all members of this odd group staring in the direction of the voice.

The little girl’s fear grew tenfolds by the fiendish smirk these spirits and demons flashing at her and by the ’let’s eat it’, ’let’s bake it’, ’it’s most delicious when it’s still raw’ exclamations here and there. The crowd became more and more thick around the human child who were starting to cry relentlessly of the fear and horror when suddenly a fiercly jostling figure appeared showing some of the yōkai hungry for human flesh away. It was getting a foothold by it’s geta wearing feet and it expanded it’s arms attempting to impede it’s companions. It was a male yōkai. His bloodorange eyes, fingers ending in claws and the furry ears peeking out from his jet black hair left no room for doubt. He was wagging his black cat tail in irritation while he was staring firmly at the other yōkai intently.

"Retreat! Do not lay a finger on her!" he said confidently.

The determination was clear on the male bakeneko’s face. He was sure that by his charisma alone he could deter his companions from the human child. Although an ox-headed demon stepping out of the crowd crashed his self-confidence. Gozu, the ox-headed demon scuffled with it’s hooves and it made the ground trembling. The bakeneko was nearly tumbled over and the ox-headed demon answered him in a deep, frightening tone.

"Who do you think you are to tell us what to do?! Maybe you want the bounty for yourself?!"

"It’s the new guy, Gozu-sama" a smaller ranking yōkai interjected with a frown and upon hearing it malice glinted in the eyes of the ox-headed one.

The bakeneko gulped and felt like he had a ball in his throat, then he tried to gather his courage which was leaving him in the same breath a moment before.

"No… I don’t want to monopolize her at all, just…" his thoughts running in and out of his head "I just don’t want you to… have a stomach ache later on…" he offered the only reason he was able to come up at the heat of the moment.

Gozu and the others were gazing at him with an odd kind of look in their eyes. He was feeling that he needs to say something else and soon.

"This human is way too skinny, only skin and bone. Believe me, she must be awfully tough to chew on. It only makes the stomach sick."

The chimimōryō which was chattering about him before couldn’t stand to open up it’s mouth again.

"You’re only saying it, cause you’re the cat of humans. I know well where you came from. I heard about it! You’ve never tasted human flesh before!"

The yōkai glanced from the chimimōryō to the bakeneko. In the focus of those questioning, curious, hateful, or even disgusted gazes he started to feel like he poked his nose into something he shouldn’t have. Why couldn’t he let them eat the girl? It most likely how things are going on in the Hyakki Yagyō. Maybe he should just close his eyes and pull his headband onto his ears while they are chewing on the limbs of this girl. After they finished he can always going on with them as a member of their procession. Like nothing ever happened. It most likely was the easiest option. But as he looked back onto the small human crouching on the ground, her whole body trembling from crying, he was thinking about maybe not always the easiest way is the rightest to follow. With a newfound determination he faced the other yōkai.

"It’s true that I’m an urban cat domesticated and raised by humans. But nevertheless I’m a yōkai too. I don’t care about human life. Humans are only good for pempering me if I need it and to give me food. If they are not giving me anything to eat I can even live on rats, but this skinny human is too tasteless for me too. Even I don’t need it."

Gozu snorted informing him that it run out of patience and not convinced the least. It bowed it’s horned ox head and was getting momentum to push the irritating newbie from the way. The bakeneko turned around hushing a silent ’shimatta’ and gathering the human child into his arms he bolted out with lightening speed through the crowd and into a dark alleyway.

Gozu unable to lessen his momentum crashed into it’s companion instead of the cat demon, causing a great ruckus. Then the raging demon horde broke into a run in the alley to chase the cat and the bounty alike.

The child was clutching into the bakeneko’s yukata desperately, then she grabbed his ears. The cat demon cried out and the girl rearranged her hold on his collar instead. She was dumbfounded enough to stop crying already.

Yuuyami, the bakeneko realized that he didn’t has the slightest clue where to run and what to do. He relied wholly on his instincts when he decided to escape and now he was in great trouble. A whole Hyakki Yagyō was in his heel! Which was in itself a record worth mentioning!

He decided that it would be best to take the girl to a holy place so he did his best and ran to the closest shinto shrine. When he arrived there he put the girl down on the other side of the torii and he warned her not to leave the holy barrier until the sun is up again. Then he continued to run while he had the power in his legs to do so. After a while he couldn’t hear the voice of his pursuers and he was thinking that he was doing a good job shaking them off with the twist and turns he made. He leaned onto the wall of a house sighing before he started to lament to himself on a whiny voice.

"Oh, darn it, I also wanted to become a member of the Hyakki! I was messing it up!" he was scratching the base of his ears before looking up at the canvas of the sky scattered by stars. "What shall I do now? I can’t go back to them. Gozu would kill me for sure. Fortunately they will be going on to the North within two days anyway. I also don’t wan’t to go home…"

He was thinking about joining to a yōkai group in Edo and spending the remaining years of his life in a dirty, rundown house or temple with them. And they would be drinking great time in which he wouldn’t even take part or only drinking a little as he was weak to alcohol. Then they would be having a feast. Roasted fish on skewers! Yummy~ There’s nothing better! But wait! What if the yōkai of Edo are eating human flesh? He couldn’t do it. No way! Mostly because he was also a human, well partially. Or what if they would like to eat him?!

He furrowed his brows mulling over the possibilities. Maybe the reason he likes humans are not because they are pampering him, but because he is half-human?

He shook his head. Anyhow, he doesn’t want to go back to the place he was coming from. There must be yōkai who are not eating human flesh. And also he would rather be living in a desolated, ruined temple, than in that fancy house where he would be only a slave to other men’s desires. He didn’t want the same thing occured recently to happen again.


	2. The World of Luscius Lamplight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a more or less shorter chapter than the first one this time. I decided to split this chapter in two. So the yummy part will be taking place in the next one.
> 
> So, the Japanese words and terms this time:  
> [Be prepared, you'll get a short introduction of brothels and prostitution of Edo period (1603-1868) Japan. Maybe it would be a bit lengthy for notes but it is important in regards to the story. You should also check google for pics of the oiran kimono and make up to have an overall idea about the attire our protagonist is wrapped into ;)
> 
> Yoshiwara: It was the pleasure district of Edo by the Nihonbashi (a famous bridge in Tokyo) area between 1617 and 1657 until the Great Meireki Fire. After it burnt down it was relocated to Asakusa which is famous for it's market and temple these days but was at the border of the city in the old days. In 1958 prostitution was outlawed by the Japanese government.
> 
> ageya: Pleasure house where one could hire prostitutes. In reality the prostitutes were living in a different building, the ageya was only a place for entertainment. 
> 
> oiran: High ranking courtesans. They were a type of yūjo, or "women of pleasure". But unless yūjo, oiran were more like entertainers skilled in a wide variety of things like calligraphy, poems, elaborate conversational skills, traditional arts like tea ceremony and flower arranging and also educated to play instruments like shamisen and koto (stringed instruments), drum and flute and also learned to dance and sing. So first and foremost they were entertainers but the also offered sexual service. They were more beautiful than the average yūjo (prositutes). The oiran are often confused with the geisha, but geisha was only high ranking entertainers and did not sell their body. A price of an oiran not to mention a tayū was ridiculously high. And one can speak with an oiran on their third meeting. There are some interesting facts about oiran you maybe want to know. You can read about them here: https://www.tsunagujapan.com/20-facts-you-did-not-know-about-oiran/
> 
> tayū: Highest ranking courtesan. She was able to choose her own clientele and allowed to refuse a client.
> 
> [I would like clarify here that from the beginning of the Edo period until 1952 the legal age of prostitution was from the age of eighteen. Of course there were brothels ignoring this regulation and we can see examples of girls becoming oiran or tayū in their tender years of thirteen to sixteen. Yes, thirteen! On the issues of the government the prostitution was restricted into certain areas and Yoshiwara was one of these. The prostitutes were not allowed to leave the quarters without guards and they could only leave on rare occassions too. Also not only female were prostitutes during the Edo period. There were quite a number of male prostitutes too.]  
> Sources: http://www.issendai.com/japanese-courtesans/ages-of-courtesans.html and wiki.
> 
> okami: The owner, in this case the matron of the pleasure house. The okami has full ownership over the yūjo, oiran and tayū of the house. 
> 
> Tsukimiya (月見店): The name of the pleasure house Yūyami is belonging to. The 'ya' in the name indicates that it is a kind of shop and it also applied to restaurants and places of entertainment. Whilst the 'tsukimi' means 'moon viewing' which was a famous passtime activity in the history of Japan and China. 
> 
> neesan: Means 'older sister' in Japanese. 
> 
> sake: Japanese rice wine.
> 
> chan: A suffix used for someone the speaker is familiar with. Usually used for young girls.
> 
> kagema: A term for young male prostitutes. They were more expensive to sleep with than female prostitutes. A lot of young kabuki actors were kagema as a side profession. 
> 
> wakashū: Another term for young male prostitutes. While you can say that every male prostitute is a kagema, there are kagema who are wakashū. The term means "young person" and were being used for adolescent boys between the age of 10 and boys reaching the coming of age which slightly varied. The coming of age were usually delayed so the boys could be eligible for the sexual desire of the usually male clientele longer, but starting from 1685 the age limit was set to the age of 25. Although as I mentioned the legal age of prostitution was from 18, there were younger boys in the sex industry. The tradition is having it's roots in the nanshoku (male colors or male sexual pleasure) which indicates sexual intercourse between men. We can see examples of nanshoku relationships in the Buddhist monastic life where the monks maintained relationship with prepubescent or adolescent boys until they reached adulthood.

Yūyami was born in new Yoshiwara a few years after the red light district had been relocated from Nihonbashi, it’s previous location to the neighbourhood of Asakusa which was at the boundary of the city that time around. He was concieved from an ageya’s tayū bakeneko and a nameless client of her and as he has been already beautiful as a child, the owner of the ageya recognized the business opportunity in him in his early years. Yūyami was raised by the most prominent of oiran’s and after his mother died, the new tayū took him under her wings. Hence he was a lonely young boy in a house full of women, was always a bit pampered by them. He learned the way of writing through the calligraphy classes as well as he learned to read and count. Was educated to play the shamisen and koto, to dance and sing, and also acquired the skill to maintain light conversation as a way to entertain guests.

He enjoyed his life so much, that the notion that one day he also has to enter the world of the ageya’s entertainers never occured to him. The main reason for it is that he was bornt to this world as a male. Although as he was growing up in the world of luscius lamplight of Yoshiwara he was aware of the fact that not only and absolutely female prostitutes are exist. There was always a call for beautiful boys with nice face and slender body. With the growing population the claim for the young males blessed by enticing disposition and offering sexual services also were on the rise. And naturally the okami of the Tsukimi ageya, namely the owner of Yūyami was unwilling to throw the money she invested into the boy’s education out of the window and go to waste. More so she wanted to gain profit great time from him. As long as the boy was in his human form there shouldn’t be any problem. Maybe shouldn’t be any even if he transforms halfway as there are men who aspires to the exotic.

So approximately a month ago when Yūyami reached the age of eighteen, the okami initiated him into the business. The boy was still utterly clueless when he was dressed into an equally ornated and luxorious attire as what the tayū, the first rank oiran of the pleasure house was wearing. His still long tresses was done up in an intrigued bun with several kanzashi hairpins and his face was covered with white powder make-up. Lips painted blood red and the corner of his eyes flared up with the expressive touch of vivid pink.

Starting from his tender age the ladies of the ageya loved to do his make-up, so he was not suspicious of them acting the same on that evening. Actually he was quite contented looking into the mirror and ascertained to be almost as fair as his tayū patron, Aiko-neesan.

The whole situation only started to feel odd when he realized that the guests invited to celebrate his birthday were not just consisted of the oiran of the house but also unfamiliar men, strangers entering into the room to celebrate together. At one point Aiko-neesan proudly announced to all present that starting from that night Yūyami is considered an adult hence he became a full member of the ageya family. Yūyami was moved deep in his heart to hear that everyone was acting so kind with him and because he was deemed to be a real family member. Then he engaged into a vivid and cheerful conversation with the unfamiliar man sitting down right next to him. He was all too ignorant about the stranger’s eyes gazing intently, not leaving his form only for the tiniest moment from the time he entered into the room.

After two cups of sake Yūyami was entirely relaxed and during their conversation even if unconsciously he put in the same tricks of temptation he learned from the oirans and yūjo. Seeing this, Aiko started to feel stressed. She wasn’t sure wether the okami gave a detailed explanation to the boy about this whole event was not only about his birthday. Kiko, a young yūjo seeing Aiko’s uneasy glances whispered into her ear:

”There won’t be any problem. According to the okami, our client is a gentlemen to the core. And he knows that it would be Yami-chan’s first night.”

Hearing this a relieved smile appeared on her features pulling the corner’s of her lips up in a curve. Kiko also added with emphasis that the young and handsome client who is entertained by Yūyami is from a highly prominent family and not the least short on money.

After a while the yūjo, oiran and all the other guests seeped through the door one-by-one unnoticed to relocate themselves into another room. Aiko, after making sure of Yūyami feeling at ease and carefree with his client, she also hooked on the man she was chatting with and invited him into another room. 

At first Yūyami did not seem to notice that he was left alone with the man, only a few minutes later he realized that apart from them there were noone else there. He looked around surprized and sligthy intoxicated from the booze he said:

”Areee? Where are the others?” Then he went on plaintively. ”Really, they could have said goodby to me…”

The man sitting next to him assessed him with a hint of a smile playing on his lips as the boy was complaining in his high pitched voice raising into long drawn-out words at the end of the sentence the way girls whining about. It was evident by his behaviour and speak pattern that he was raised only by women. He was just like a beautiful princess. 

Senri, the man only arrived to Edo recently and when he heared about that a majesticly beautious boy is living in the Tsukimiya in Yoshiwara and he is a prostitute to be waiting to be initiated into the business soon, he wanted to be the boy’s very first client at all costs. He paid an enormously great deal of money to the okami and she brought it to his attention that the boy would be entirely clueless, so he might be unwilling. The okami specifically asked him to be gentle. At first he was thinking that they were making way too much of a fuss about the new kagema. Or he could say a wakashū as he was still in his tender years only legally eligible for sexual liaisons. But when he first laid his eyes on him, he was immediately intoxicated by the boy’s charms, innocent smile and positive aura. The boy was blessed with an almost otherwordly beauty, the feeling enhanced by that odd glint of his crimson hued brown eyes accentuated by the pink of the eye shadow.

Senri’s deep emerald gaze seized up his gentle features before he raised his right hand to stroke the wakashū’s cheeks with the tenderness of a summer breeze. Yūyami glanced up at the man with a surprized look, but did not draw apart from him. He returned the green-eyed stranger’s glare, and for the first time that evening he took stock of his drinking buddy. He was a man of fine figure and slender physic somewhere in the middle of his twenties posessing fine and noble features. One could guess even from the expressions of his face or his conduct that he was sprouted from a distinguished welthy family. Although Yūyami didn’t know anything about his background yet. 

The man had a strange aura to him and he couldn’t point his finger on it. His being exuded confidence and power with a hint of mistery. His jet black hair was cut as short as the phalanx of a finger and his coiffure was sure enough different from those of the samurai and merchants. Only that moment it became clear in Yūyami’s alcohol steamed mind that he didn’t even introduced himself yet and consequently he didn’t know the man’s name in return.

”Oh!” He exclaimed whereon Senri pulled his outstretched hand back and Yūyami placed his fingers in front of his lips for a passing moment before remembering that he has lipstick on. He didn’t want to ruin his make up. ”Please excuse my lack of manner. I haven’t given my name yet. I’m Yūyami with the characters of ’evening’ and ’darkness’.”

After introducing himself his glossy red lips curved into a gentle smile and he bowed his body respectfully with his hands placed onto the tatami mat and forehead touching the upper side of his hands. Senri was slightly taken aback by the unexpected formality, but he collected himself within a moment and reciprocated the warm smile before admiting.

”I already know. The okami told me.”

”Oh! I see.” Yūyami commented in a gleeful tone. Then he asked with an inquisitive glance. ”And whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?”

Upon hearing this oddly formal question Senri laughed out in delight. Only a glimpse to Yūyami was enought to tell that he couldn’t catch up with the happenings. 

”I’m Senri, but I already introduced myself.” the man said at last mirthfully.

The smile freezed onto Yūyami’s face. When exactly did the stranger introduced himself to him? He couldn’t remember at all. Maybe it was the alcohol’s fault. He felt like he wasn’t in full control of his body and mind.

”I’m deeply regretting it, but… I forgot…” he apologized desperately.

Senri broke out in laughter again before pressing close to the boy and whispering into his ear, his hot, humid breath hitting the lobes in shuddering vibrations.

”Do not mind. We have the whole night to get to know each other thoroughly.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About the names of the protagonists:
> 
> 夕闇 Yūyami means "twilight" containing the characters of "evening" and "darkness".
> 
> 千利 Senri means "thousand" and "benefit" as the characters indicates.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are highly appreciated :)


End file.
